All hikes

Mt Houou is one of the major peaks in the Southern Alps of Japan. I chose to take it via the Dondoko-sawa course as an overnight tent hike.

Hiking Mt Omuro on the Izu Peninsula, a grassy volcanic peak. Take a chairlift up to the peak and enjoy some great views of Mt Fuji and the sea.

A guide to hiking Mt Asama, an active volcano near Karuizawa. With its alert level reduced to level 1, you can now climb it again! I took the Takamine Kogen route.

A guide to hiking the Minami-Takao Seven Summits loop from Takaosanguchi station, passing through seven forested peaks before summiting Mt Takao and descending back to the station.

A hike along the ridge from Mt Ishiwari to Mt Hirao and Mt Ohira, offering superb Mt Fuji views above Lake Yamanakako. Accessible by direct highway bus from Shinjuku.

A hike right by Lake Motosuko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes, with great Fuji views. Optionally you can also take a detour to see the nearby shibazakura festival.

A guide to hiking Mt Ono (大野山) in Kanagawa - a public transport-friendly trail from Yaga station with Mt Fuji views, cherry blossoms and cows.

Hiking Mt Iwadono from Otsuki station, featuring cherry blossom and Mt Fuji views, a chain-climbing section, and a thrilling walk along a rounded cliff.

A convenient hike featuring a historic stone quarry, a 1300-year-old Buddhist temple, and the largest stone-carved Buddha in Japan.

A rather unassuming mountain, but you get the opportunity to pass by some local farms, and the kawazu cherry blossoms are a highlight.

A beginner-friendly winter hike, featuring some stones cutely painted to be like Ghibli's soot sprites.

A 15km, 7hr course which lets you skip some of the crowds of Mt Takao. The peak offers views of Mt Fuji, and a chance to see a suspicious-yet-iconic horse statue.

If you've already climbed Mt Tonodake or Mt Tanzawa and are looking for another Tanzawa mountain to check off of your list, Mt Nabewari is a great option if you're interested in eating its famous nabeyaki udon.

A beginner-friendly hike in Hakone with views of Mt Fuji from the summit if you are lucky. If you'd like to extend your hike further, you can do a traverse to the neighbouring Mt Myojingatake with some really pretty ridgeline views.

Japan's most-climbed mountain, conveniently located an hour's train ride from Shinjuku.

The easiest mountain in the Tanzawa range with cable car access. The shortest course is a little over 3 hours, or skip the cable car for a 6-hour loop course.

A great beginner-friendly hike in Okutama with a Fuji view. Expect to hike up to 5 hours, and stop by the Mt Mitake Shrine as well.

One of Japan's Hundred Famous Mountains located in the Southern Alps. Features a unique sandy summit and can be done as a day hike or as part of a 2-day trip with Mt Senjo.

Known as the Queen of the Southern Alps. With a round-trip course time of 7 hours, it's one of the more accessible mountains in the Southern Alps. Can be done as a day hike or as an overnight hike with a stay at a mountain hut.

Japan's second tallest mountain, located in the Southern Alps. Mt Kita can be climbed as a 10-hour day hike, or as a 2-day hike with an overnight stay at a mountain hut. Optionally, can be climbed together with the neighbouring Mt Aino.

A short hike out to two adjacent peaks, featuring the crater rim of Mt Azuma-Kofuji and some great views out from Mt Issaikyo.

A quick 3 hour hike with ropeway and chairlift access. Especially beautiful during autumn. Can done as an (expensive) day trip from Tokyo via shinkansen.

I hiked Mt Hiuchi and Mt Myoko together as a 2-day hike, but they can be done as separate 9-hour day hikes. Especially popular in autumn.

A 3-day hut-to-hut hike through the North Alps, climbing Mt Kurobegoro and Mt Yari via the Nishi-Ginza Diamond course.

A beginner-friendly 2-3 hour hike to a mirror lake 2000m high in the mountains. Accessible via gondola and chairlift.

Some steep climbs but a reasonable 6.5 hour day hike. The final portion is a ridgeline walk with lots of alpine flowers in summer with views out to the Sea of Japan.

A Hundred Famous Mountain in Niigata also famous with photographers for its unique waterfall clouds, which can be viewed at sunrise.

A day hike from the popular Kamikochi. The 13km course via Kamikochi takes 7.5 hours, or there's a shorter 5-hour course from Shinnaka-no-yu trailhead.

A hyakumeizan straddling Gunma and Niigata prefectures, with a long ridgeline walk near the summit once you escape the forest. Expect a long 8 - 9hr day hike, with opportunities to spot nikko-kisuge flowers if you come in mid-July.

One of Japan's Hundred Famous Mountains in the North Alps, relatively accessible with a 4-hour drive from Tokyo. Can be done as a long day hike (10-11 hours) or overnight at the mountain hut.

Unfortunately has a reputation as one of the most "boring" of the Hundred Famous Mountains due to lack of views, but it's not as bad as its reputation suggests.

A loop hike in the small mountain town of Les Diablerets.

A hike up Montreux's local mountain with views down to Lake Geneva. You can get a cogwheel train right to the summit, or hike up (or down) via Caux.

A scenic mountain overlooking Geneva. The hiking trail takes you through some cute Swiss villages before heading into France to hike up the mountain.

A scenic peak near Lucerne, with Europe's oldest cogwheel train and a panoramic hiking course.

A day hike from Lucerne. The mountain looks imposing, but is fairly straightforward to climb via a series of switchbacks.

A pair of hills nestled on the side of Mt Fuji. Great if you want a close-up view without visiting the peak itself.

A hike with a great stretch of uninterrupted views of Mt Fuji along the ridgeline between Mt Odake and Mt Onigatake

A guide to hiking Mt Mitsutoge near Lake Kawaguchiko, with two course options and a stunning Mt Fuji view from the summit.

A station-to-station hike with wide smooth paths, making it ideal for trail runners.

A beautiful hike in Nikko National Park with varied scenery and plenty of ridgeline walking.

A steep climb, but possible as a day hike from Tokyo. Located in Nikko National Park. Has a rather interesting 3.5m sword at the summit.

One of the 3 major peaks in Oze National Park, with great views of the Oze Marsh. Can be combined as a 2-day hike with the neighbouring Mt Shibutsu.

An interesting station-to-station hike with the opportunity to spot some sculptures, although more than a third of the trail is along a road.

A great low-elevation mountain to climb in the colder months, with views of Mt Fuji.

One of the mountains near Lake Motosuko, with great views of Mt Fuji.

One of the mountains near Lake Kawaguchiko, with great views from the Fujiyama Twin Terrace deck.

A guide to hiking Mt Tonodake in the Tanzawa mountains, with course options from Yabitsu-toge and Okura, public transport details, and when to avoid the leeches.

A Yamanashi Hundred Famous Mountain next to Lake Shojiko, one of the Fuji Five Lakes. The loop course includes Panorama-dai and offers excellent views of Mt Fuji.

A little outing to a mountain range west of Kunming city in Yunnan, China

Everything you need to hike Mt Fuji as a day trip via the overnight bus from Shinjuku - costs, difficulty, season dates, altitude sickness tips, and a full trip report. Updated for 2026.

One of the easiest hyakumeizans, most popular for its yellow Nikko Kisuge flowers which bloom in July.

The highest peak in the Yatsugatake mountain range. Possible as a "day" hike from Tokyo if you don't mind taking an overnight bus. Otherwise expect a night's stay in a tent or mountain hut.

A straightforward beginner-friendly loop course, with good bus access. Particularly popular in May for its pink azaleas. You can also visit the nearby Akagi Shrine.

Shikoku 2/2. Pair together with Mt Ishizuchi.

Shikoku 1/2. Access via Matsuyama airport or Shinkansen. Accounting for travel time, may need up to 4 days to climb both Shikoku mountains if you are coming from Tokyo.

One of the 3 major peaks in Oze National Park, with great views of the Oze Marsh. Can be combined as a 2-day hike with the neighbouring Mt Hiuchigatake.

Oze National Park 3/3. 4 hour drive from Tokyo or overnight train. Can pair with the other Oze hikes or also with the Nikko hikes.

The easiest mountain in the Northern Alps, and home of the highest bus stop in Japan. Can pair with Mt Ontake or Kamikochi / Mt Yake for a weekend trip.

A still-active volcano that last erupted in 2014. Can pair with Mt Norikura or Mt Kiso-komagatake for a weekend trip.

Day trip accessible via Shinkansen and local train to Doai station, the deepest train station in all of Japan. Very popular in autumn.

Nara 2/2. Will need to make it into an overnight hike (mountain hut available) if you want to take public transport, but possible as a day hike via car.

Nara 1/2. Quite an easy mountain, and has public transport access but not the greatest (I drove). Pair together with Mt Omine.

Hokkaido 2/9. In Daisetsuzan National Park. Tallest mountain in Hokkaido, but also with the best public transport access.

Hokkaido 3/9. The course is not too long, with stunning views into the crater's yellow lake. Unfortunately no public transport access.

Hokkaido 1/9. Has a stream-climbing portion for the adventurous, but also an alternate course. Unfortunately will require car or taxi to the trailhead.

Hokkaido 4/9. One of the longer Hokkaido hikes. With public transport, will need to spend the night near the start of the trail at a hut or hotel, or camp near the peak in the middle of bear country.

Kyushu 5/6. The second-lowest elevation hyakumeizan, climbable for many months of the year.

Kyushu 3/6. A still-active volcano which frequently gets closed off, so check before you go.

Part of the Northern Alps. Can be combined with Mt Suisho as part of a 3 (or 4) day hike.

Most popularly climbed as a snow hike in the winter, in which case there is public transport access and the course time is shortened to 3.5 hours. The 6.5h summer course does have a portion of chain-climbing over a steep rock-face.

A gorgeous introduction to the Chuo Alps, with the highest ropeway station in Japan. The closest you can get 3000m on a day trip hike from Tokyo.

A bit on the harder side as a day trip, with a 3.5 hour drive from Tokyo, but the course was easier than I expected as the elevation gain is not too steep. Taking public transport will require you to spend the night at the mountain hut.

The highest peak in Malaysia.

Can do as a very expensive day trip via Shinkasen access to Yamagata station. Is right next to the popular Zao Onsen town.

The only hyakumeizan in Fukui. The nearest mountains you could drive to are Mt Ibuki, Mt Ena and Mt Haku, although none of them are that close.

Day trip access (albeit expensive) via Shinkansen to Maibara station. As of 2024, the main hiking trail is closed. Instead you can drive (or take a bus in the summer season) to right near the peak.

Kyushu 2/6. Stunning volcano views, good access via highway bus.

Kyushu 1/6. If you had to skip one of the Kyushu hyakumeizan, it would have to be this one. Public transport access will take the course time up to 7.5h.

This one's all one its own in Tottori prefecture. You'll probably take a plane to Tottori airport, climb this one and then fly back home.

The tallest mountain in Kyushu, on the island of Yakushima. We did a 3-day hike staying at unmanned huts on the trail.

A very hort 1.6km hike east of Lake Yamanakako, offering some superb views of Mt Fuji.

The highest mountain in Tokyo at 2017m. The standard 20km course is best done overnight, but strong hikers can complete it as a day trip from Tokyo.

A hike across a series of low-lying mountains next to the city of Numazu and Suruga bay.

Stunning scenery if you like volcanoes. Courses vary from 1.5h to 6.5h depending on if you use the ropeway.

No public transport access, but quite a short hike so doable if you have a car. The summit is a huge field of rocks.

A straightforward hike with good views of Mt Fuji. The hike up to Mt Imakura is 80% of the climbing you'll do for this course, so once you've reached this peak it's smooth sailing from here.

The bus timings are a bit dicey, so it might be better as an overnight hike if you want to take your time. But I found it to be quite doable as a daytrip with public transport. Since it's low-elevation you can climb it earlier than other hyakumeizans.

Is one of the rare few hyakumeizans near the ocean, although its views aren't too great due to the tree cover. With its low elevation, can be climbed in the off-season.

One of the most accessible mountains in the Southern Alps, famous for its sandy summit

Although the course distance is short, it is deceptively hard as there are some steep climbs. Can be combined with the nearby Mt Kinpu as an overnight camping trip.

Fukushima 1/3. Accessible as an expensive day hike from Tokyo thanks to the Shinkansen. Recommending pairing with another Fukushima mountain. Very popular in the autumn season.

Short course, easily accessible from Tokyo, and great views of Mt Fuji if you are lucky.

The course is long at 18km, but well-maintained with lots of stairs and rest huts, and easy access from Tokyo. Can split it up into an overnight hike with a stay at one of the huts.

Day trip accessible via Shinkansen to Ueda station and then a local bus. Course can be as short as 3.5h by car, but with public transport expect it to take 7 - 8 hours. The best part of this hike is seeing the neighbouring peak of Mt Neko.

The lowest elevation mountain in the hyakumeizan, and a good beginner-friendly intro. Standard course is 4h.